Iconic Austin 'Hi, How Are You' Mural Defaced

posted by Jim Forsyth
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2 years ago

An iconic mural near the University of Texas campus which was integral in the creation of the 'keep Austin weird' vibe of the 1990s, was defaced over the holiday by a 32 year old woman who told police she thought the mural was 'talking to her,' officials tell 1200 WOAI news.

The mural, which shows a frog under the words 'Hi, How Are You' was painted by Austin singer-songwriter Daniel Johnson on the side of the former Sound Exchange record store near 21st and Guadalupe Streets in 1994.

Since then, the mural has become center to the eclectic arts scene that Austin is famous for. The mural is mentioned in travel guidebooks, people come to have their picture taken next to it, and when the chain restaurant Baja Fresh took over the building 'save the frog' efforts were mounted across the city, to make sure the new owners did not paint over the work of art.

Many Austinites and U.T. students give directions to locations on and off campus using 'Hi, How Are You' as a starting point. The mural was reproduced onto a T-Shirt which was worn by Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

Rebecca Guest, 32, is charged with spray painting the 'F-word' several times over the face of the mural.

Guest told police, according to an affidavit obtained by 1200 WOAI news, that she believed the mural was 'meant to personally insult her.' She said she spay painted over it to try to convince the restaurant to remove it.

Guest has been released on bond. It is uncertain whether the mural is salvageable.